The History of the Calendar

by Barbara A. Somervill

Calendars have helped mankind to mark the passage of time for thousands of years. This title illustrates the development of the calendar and highlights the civilizations and innovations that are associated with various methods of tracking days, months, and years. Young readers will also get a glimpse of what the future holds in store as inventors and modern-thinkers come up with better ways of keeping time.

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Barbara Somervill is a professional writer who has been a magazine editor, journalist, and advertising copywriter for more than twenty years. Somervill is a member of the National Association of Female Executives, the Association of Women in Communications, and the International Documentary Association.

Reviews

[Nancy Kotkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very solid introduction to the history of calendars and timekeeping. Starts with the ancient Egyptians and travels through time and cultures, ending with the modern Cesium clock and proposed International Fixed Calendar. A timeline runs along the bottom of the pages to orient readers in time through major world milestones, such as the development of the wheel, death of Hammurabi, Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel, and Benjamin Franklin inventing the lightning rod. Well-written text is clearly organized. Interesting, relevant images support the concepts presented. Includes a glossary, index, and suggested further reading.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those cool books that sits quietly on the children's shleves in the library but is actually appropriate reading for all ages. I read this book aloud to a client in her 80s and we BOTH enjoyed it and learned new things. The illustrations were ptetty good, too. The only part that didn't seem up to par was the timeline along the bottom of the pages because it was annoyingly random!